Behaviour Modification in Custody Flashcards
What are the aims of behaviour modification programmes?
Reinforcing obedient behaviour in offenders, whilst punishing disobedience, in the hope that the former continues and the latter dies out.
What system do behaviour modification programmes use?
Token economies.
Which key approach (and feature of the approach) is a token economy based on?
Based on operant conditioning from the behaviourist approach.
What does a token economy involve?
Reinforcing desirable behaviour with a token which can then be exchanged for some kind of reward at a later date.
What are likely behaviours (within prison) that would lead to gaining a token?
Avoiding conflict, following prison rules and keeping one’s cell orderly.
Why are tokens known as secondary reinforcers?
Because they derive their value from their association with a reward.
Who manages token economy systems?
It is co-ordinated and managed by the prison staff.
What is the reward for collecting tokens?
It will vary between institution, it is likely to include phone calls, gym time, yard time, cigarettes, food or conjugal visits.
How is punishment used in the token economies?
It is made clear to the prisoners that non-compliance or disobedience would result in a loss of tokens.
What is selective reinforcement?
The desirable behaviour is identified and broken down into small steps to establish a baseline measure.
Who conducted a research study into the behavioural modification programmes of prison?
Tom Hobbs and Michael Holt (1976).
Describe the study of Hobbs and Holt (1976):
They introduced a token economy programme into a group of young delinquents across three behavioural units and observed a significant difference in positive behaviours compared to the non economy group.
AO3 - Easily to implement.
Token economies are easy to implement, there is no need for specialists such as techniques like anger management which means they are cost-effective and easily implementable across the nation.
AO3 - Little rehabilitative value.
Blackburn (1993) said that ‘behaviour modification has little rehabilitative value’., and positive changes may be easily reversed once released as the system is no longer in place as they are seen as normal behaviours so are not positively reinforced.
AO3 - Ethical issues.
Token economies have been called manipulative and dehumanising as in order for an institution to implement the economy, they must first withdraw the ‘privileges’ to then give prisoners a chance to get them back. The prisoners are also obligated to participate which may be seen as ethically questionable.
